Test projectile with primary and test fuzes

ABSTRACT

A test projectile comprises a primary nose fuze, a parachute recovery payload including a test fuze, and means comprising two independent firing trains made up of connected flash passages and detonators connecting each fuze with an explosive charge for separating the payload from the projectile body when either of the two fuzes is selectively actuated during flight of the projectile. In one embodiment, the explosive charge comprises a plurality of detonators arranged to rip the forward wall or skin of the projectile body into four &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;banana-peel&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; segments, to release the payload from the projectile body. In another embodiment, the base of the projectile body is separatably attached to the main body portion by shear pins, and the explosive charge is arranged to break the shear pins and expel the payload through the rear end of the projectile. The test projectile is provided with a flash mix and/or a flare mix ignited by the explosive charge, for showing the time and location of the ejection, and the final location of the ejected payload.

ited States Patent 1191 Popovitch et al.

[ TEST PROJECTILE WITH PRIMARY AND Primary Examiner-Verlin R. PendegrassTEST FUZES Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Edward J. Kelly; Herbert [75]Inventors: Dragolyoub Popovitch, Denville, Berk Thomas Webb N.J.; RalphTate; Charles W. Haag, both of Evansville, Ind. [57] ABSTRACT A test proecnle compnses a pr1mary nose fuze, a Asslgnee: The Umted States ofAmerica as parachute recovery payload including a test fuze, andrepresented h) the Secretary of the means comprising two independentfiring trains made Army, washmgton, up of connected flash passages anddetonators con- [22] Filed; Oct 25, 1973 necting each fuze with anexplosive charge for separating the payload from the projectile bodywhen ei- 1 PP 409,500 ther of the two fuzes is selectively actuatedduring flight of the projectile. In one embodiment, the explo- 52 US. Cl102/56, 102/371, 102/37.6 Sive charge comprises a plurality ofdetonators 102/60 ranged to rip the forwardwall or skin of theprojectile [51] Int. Cl. F42c 21/00 body into four banana'peel Segmentsto release the [58] Field of Search 102/344, 35.6, 37.1, 37.6 Payloadfrom the Projectile body- In another embodi- 102/495 56 ment, the baseof the projectile body is separatably attached to the main body portionby shear pins, and the 5 References Cited explosive charge is arrangedto break the shear pins UNITED STATES PATENTS and expel the payloadthrough the rear end of the pro- 2 342 096 2,1944 2 2/35 6 jectile. Thetest projectile is provided with a flash mix immerman 5333333 g ggg 3 a33333; 33152;; fli fifi aiilfifafiifffii iififilfiiii 8; 3513777 5/1970HaniiiliIIIIIIIIIIIII:III: 102/3414 x final the elected payload 10Claims, 9 Drawing Figures g l E1; /1 I 55-595 765 7 /9 Z7 1; 55 63 9(PARALHUIZ) 39 53 5/ f l I T 55 l/ 1 I 1 r771 1 I 4 7 55 5 56 5 47 4J5/Z3 57 7 6 PATENTEU W 81974 SHEU 1 BF 3 N igtu xi SIIEEI EN 3. I

1 PATENTEnnm 81974' f w TEST PROJECTILE WITH PRIMARY AND TEST FUZESBRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention,a test projectile is provided with the usual primary nose fuze, aremovable payload comprising a canister containing a test fuze and aparachute attached to the canister, and means including explosive chargemeans and flash passage means independently connecting each fuze withthe explosive charge means for separating the. payload from theprojectile body when either fuze is actuated. The test fuze may beidentical with or similar to the primary fuze. Either fuze may beactuated first, or the two fuzes may be actuated simultaneously.Actuation of either fuze may ignite a pyrotechnic flash mix to produce ahigh intensity light of short duration to show the burst location. Aslower burning flare mix may be ignited by the flash mix to show thelocation of the payload for in flight observation and for groundspotting for payload recovery.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section viewof a test projectile embodying the present invention.

FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 6 are transverse section views taken along lines 22,33, 4-4, 55 and 6-6, respectively of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal section view of another test projectile alsoembodying the invention.

FIGS. 8 and 9 are transverse section views taken along lines 88 and 9-9,respectively, of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1 through 6illustrate the invention embodied, for example, in a 105 mm. parachuterecovery projectile for a 105 mm. XMlO3 howitzer. The projectile 1comprises a hollow body including a main body portion 3, a base 5, afuze adapter 7, and a primary nose fuze 9. The body portion 3 comprisesa hollow cylindrical rear portion 11 and a hollow ogive forward portion13 integral therewith. The body portion 3 is attached to the base 5 bythreads 15 and to the adaptor 7 by threads 17. Fuze 9 is ogive-shapedand attached to adaptor 7 by threads 19. The base 5 may be provided witha rotating band 21.

Removably disposed within the projectile body is a payload comprising afuze canister 23, containing a test fuze 25, and a parachute (not shown)mounted on supporting strips 27 and attached to the canister 23 by aswivel 29. The canister 23 comprises an annular body member 31, anannular base 33 interlocked with swivel 29 and threaded onto body member31, a yoke 35, a yoke nose 37, a fuze cover 39, and a detonator housing41. The test fuze 25, which may be identical with or similar to theprimary fuze 9, is disposed within the yoke 35 and cover 39, with itsbase threaded into the body member 31. The detonator housing 41, whichabuts the base of fuze 25, is formed with an axial flash passage 43 andopposed radial flash passages 45 aligned with two detonators 47 in bodymember 31. The body member 31 is formed with two outwardly and forwardlyslanted flash passages 49 exposed at the rear ends to detonators 47. Theforward ends of passages 49 are exposed to two detonators 51 disposedwithin the two arms of yoke 35 at a plane near the beginning of theogive portion 13. Two convergent flash passages 53 in the arms of yoke35 connect the detonators 51 with convergent flash passages 55 in yokenose 37. The passages 55 terminate in a single opening at the front faceof the nose 37.

A re-entrant detonator housing 57, disposed in ogive portion 13 betweenyoke nose 37 and fuze adaptor 7, contains a central detonator 59 exposedto flash passages 55. Adaptor 7 is formed with an axial flash passage 71and four radial flash passages 63 which connect the primary fuze 9 andthe detonator 59 with four detonators 65 disposed in adaptor 7 withinthe forward end of ogive portion 13 and distributed around the wall ofthe latter. Detonator housing 57 also contains an annular mass 67 ofpyrotechnic flash mix connected by flash passages 69 to detonators 65.As shown, the canister 25 may be provided with two layers or coatings 69of pyrotechnic flare mix disposed on the outer surfaces of the arms ofyoke 35 and exposed to the flash mix 67 through flash passages 71, to beignited thereby. The parachute and swivel 29 may be identical with thoseof the conventional M314A2E1 illuminating cartridge, and hence, thedetails of the parachute itself have been omitted, to simplify thedrawing.

In operation, the test projectile 1 is fired or launched from a gunbarrel in the usual manner. At a selected time during flight, eitherfuze may be actuated first, or alone, or both fuzes may be actuatedsubstantially simultaneously. If the forward or primary fuze 9 (alone)is actuated, the flash or flame from the fuze through passages 61 and 63explodes the four detonators 65. The explosion of detonators 65 rips theforward ogive portion 13 into four banana-skin pieces, by theexfoliation method. Spin and air forces complete the exfoliation,exposing the canister and parachute to the air stream. If, instead, therear or test fuze 25 is actuated, the flash from the fuze throughpassages 43, 45 and 49 explodes detonators 51, which continues thefiring train through passages 53 and 55, detonator 59, and passages 61and 63, to explode detonators 65. In either case, when the detonators 65are exploded, the projectile body is ruptured and the time and locationof the explosion are shown by simultaneous ignition of the fast-burningflash mix 67. The slower-buming flare mix 69 shows the location of thepayload for recovery.

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate the invention embodied in a 175 mm.parachute recovery projectile for the 175 mm., Ml l3 artillery gun. Theprojectile comprises a hollow body including a rear cylindrical bodyportion 77, a forward ogive body portion 79, a base 81, and a primarynose fuze 83. The base 81 is plugged into and separatably attached tothe rear end of rear body portion 77 by shear pins and the ogive portion79 is rigidly attached to the rear portion 77 and fuze 83 by threadedconnections 87 and 89, respectively. The rear body portion 77 may beprovided with an obturator band 91 and a rotating band 93. The base 81may contain a cushioning member 92 of suitable resilient material.

The rear body portion 77 is formed with a cylindrical internal payloadbearing surface 95; and the ogive portion 79 is formed with a recessproviding a cylindrical surface 97 which forms a continuation of thesurface 95. Slidably disposed within surfaces 95 and 97 is a payloadcomprising a fuze canister assembly 99 and a parachute assembly 101. Theparachute assembly 101 includes a tubular parachute support 102 slidablyengaging the surface 95 and containing a conventional parachute (notshown) connected by a swivel 103 to the canister assembly 99. Thecanister assembly 99 includes a tubular canister housing 104 withinwhich a test fuze 105 is threaded, a detonator housing 107 closing therear of housing 104 and abutting the fuze 105, and a cup-shaped supportpiston 109 encasing the housing 104 and slidably engaging the bearingsurfaces 95 and 97. Housing 104 is interlocked with the parachute swivel103, as shown in FIG. 1. Detonator housing 107 is formed with an axialflash passage 111 and at least two, and preferably four, connectedradial flash passages 113 which are exposed at their outer ends to theinner ends of detonators 115 extending radially through housing 104. Theouter ends of detonators 115 are connected by radial flash passages 117,detonators 119 and flash passages 121 in piston 109, to an annularrecess 123 in piston 109 and ogive portion 79, which contains a mass 125of explosive propellant powder. The forward ends of flash passages 121may be covered with a nylon disc to prevent the charge 125 from enteringthe passages. A layer 127 of pyrotechnic flash mix may be disposedadjacent to the mass 125, to be ignited thereby. The propellant powdermass 125 is also connected to primary nose fuze 83 by means of at leasttwo, and preferably four, flash passages 129 and a central recess 131 inpiston 109, and a detonator 133 and flash passage 135 in ogive portion79.

The operation of the test projectile of FIGS. 79 is the same as that ofFIGS. 1-6, except that the actuation of either fuze establishes a firingtrain from that fuze to the propellant mass 125 which, upon explosion,breaks the shear pins 85 and expels or ejects the entire payload,including the fuze canister assembly 99 and parachute assembly 101,axially through the rear end of the projectile body. At the same time,the flash mix 127 is ignited to show the time and location of thepayload ejection.

The parachute in each of FIGS. 1 and 7 may be any conventionalparachute, such as that contained in the M 314A2E1 illuminatingcartridge, shown on page 2-123 of Department of the Army TechnicalManual TM 9-1300-203, Artillery Ammunition, published April, 1967. Thedetails of the parachute are not essential to an understanding of theinvention, and hence, they have been omitted.

What is claimed is: 1. A test projectile comprising: a. an elongatedhollow body including a forward portion and a rear portion, a baseportion closing the rear end of said rear portion and a primary fuzeclosing the forward end of said forward portion; b. a payload in saidbody including 1. a canister, containing a test fuze, removably disposedsubstantially within said forward portion, and

2. a parachute removably disposed within said rear portion and attachedto said canister; and

c. means, including explosive charge means within said body and flashpassage means independently connecting each of said fuzes with saidexplosive charge means, for separating said payload from said projectilebody when either of said fuzes is actuated.

2. A test projectile as in claim 1, further comprising a light-producingmaterial located near said explosive charge means to be ignitedsubstantially simultaneous with said charge means.

3. A test projectile as in claim 1, wherein said forward portion of saidbody is an ogive portion, and said explosive charge means is locatedwithin said ogive portion near the forward end of said canister.

4. A test projectile as in claim 3, wherein said flash passage meansconnecting said test fuze with said explosive charge means comprises atleast two branches each containing two detonators.

5. A test projectile as in claim 3, wherein said explosive charge meanscomprises a plurality of explosive charges in the form of detonatorsdistributed around the wall of said ogive portion for longitudinallyripping said wall to release said canister and parachute from saidprojectile body.

6. A test projectile as in claim 1, wherein said canister comprises anannular portion surrounding the base of said test fuze, a base closingthe rear end of said annular portion and a housing portion surroundingthe remainder of said test fuze; said base, annular portion, and housingportion containing serially-connected portions of two branches of saidflash passage means connecting said test fuze with said explosivecharge.

7. A test projectile as in claim 5, further comprising a flash materiallocated near said explosive charges to be ignited thereby, and a flarematerial mounted on the outer wall of said canister and adapted to beignited by said flash material.

8. A test projectile as in claim 1, wherein:

a. said base portion is attached to said rear portion by shear pins;

b. the inner walls of said rear portion and part of said forward portionare cylindrical;

c. said parachute and said canister are respectively disposed withinfirst and second axially adjacent hollow cylindrical housing membersslidably disposed within said inner walls;

d. said explosive charge means is located in an annular recess betweenthe front end of said second housing member and an axially adjacentsolid part of said forward portion, for breaking said shear pins andslidably ejecting said housing members, said canister and said parachutethrough the rear end of said projectile body.

9. A test projectile as in claim 8, wherein said second housing memberand said canister contain seriallyconnected portions of at least twobranches of said flash passage means connecting said test fuze with saidexplosive charge means.

10. A test projectile as in claim 1 wherein said primary fuze and saidtest fuze are identical.

1. A test projectile comprising: a. an elongated hollow body including aforward portion and a rear portion, a base portion closing the rear endof said rear portion and a primary fuze closing the forward end of saidforward portion; b. a payload in said body including
 1. a canister,containing a test fuze, removably disposed substantially within saidforward portion, and
 2. a parachute removably disposed within said rearportion and attached to said canister; and c. means, including explosivecharge means within said body and flash passage means independentlyconnecting each of said fuzes with said explosive charge means, forseparating said payload from said projectile body when either of saidfuzes is actuated.
 2. A test projectile as in claim 1, furthercomprising a light-producing material located near said explosive chargemeans to be ignited substantially simultaneous with said charge means.2. a parachute removably disposed within said rear portion and attachedto said canister; and c. means, including explosive charge means withinsaid body and flash passage means independently connecting each of saidfuzes with said explosive charge means, for separating said payload fromsaid projectile body when either of said fuzes is actuated.
 3. A testprojectile as in claim 1, wherein said forward portion of said body isan ogive portion, and said explosive charge means is located within saidogive portion near the forward end of said canister.
 4. A testprojectile as in claim 3, wherein said flash passage means connectingsaid test fuze with said explosive charge means comprises at least twobranches each containing two detonators.
 5. A test projectile as inclaim 3, wherein said explosive charge means comprises a plurality ofexplosive charges in the form of detonators distributed around the wallof said ogive portion for longitudinally ripping said wall to releasesaid canister and parachute from said projectile body.
 6. A testprojectile as in claim 1, wherein said canister comprises an annularportion surrounding the base of said test fuze, a base closing the rearend of said annular portion and a housing portion surrounding theremainder of said test fuze; said base, annular portion, and housingportion containing serially-connected portions of two branches of saidflash passage means connecting said test fuze with said explosivecharge.
 7. A test projectile as in claim 5, further comprising a flashmaterial located near said explosive charges to be ignited thereby, anda flare material mounted on the outer wall of said canister and adaptedto be ignited by said flash material.
 8. A test projectile as in claim1, wherein: a. said base portion is attached to said rear portion byshear pins; b. the inner walls of said rear portion and part of saidforward portion are cylindrical; c. said parachute and said canister arerespectively disposed within first and second axially adjacent hollowcylindrical housing members slidably disposed within said inner walls;d. said explosive charge means is located in an annular recess betweenthe front end of said second housing member and an axially adjacentsolid part of said forward portion, for breaking said shear pins andslidably ejecting said housing members, said canister and said parachutethrough the rear end of said projectile body.
 9. A test projectile as inclaim 8, wherein said second housing member and said canister containserially-connected portions of at least two branches of said flashpassage means connecting said test fuze with said explosive chargemeans.
 10. A test projectile as in claim 1 wherein said primary fuze andsaid test fuze are identical.